1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a marine vehicle mooring and security device, and in particular to a device for securing marine vehicles to a docking structure while protecting them from collision or impact with that structure as a result of waves or inclement weather. The device also reduces the possibility of theft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The mooring of marine vehicles to docks or piers has usually been accomplished by means of ropes or stay lines. The problem with ropes and lines is their ability to support only tensile forces. The inability to support compressive forces restricts their usefulness and may require marine vehicles or docks to be equipped with elastic bumpers or the like. Alternatively, an arrangement permitting line fastening on both the port and starboard sides of the marine vehicle may be necessary to avoid excessive collision between the vehicle and the dock. This would require a docking slip or other set up to which both sides of the vehicle can be attached. This type of configuration is not always available. Even with such a configuration, lateral motion is still not completely restricted due to the elastic nature of the ropes or lines. The fastening of additional ropes or stay lines to help restrict this motion would add considerable time to the docking procedure.
In the past, numerous types of boat mooring devices have been proposed such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,250,827, 4,627,375 and 4,686,926. Each of these devices utilize two similar attachment bars placed between a side of the boat and a fixed mooring structure. These devices include means to pivot vertically to accommodate changing water levels, as well as some type of spring or shock absorbers that provide motion damping.
These prior art devices however, require the installation of additional retrofit hardware on one or both sides of a boat. Also, these earlier devices do not restrict lateral motion very well. Furthermore, the prior art devices do not provide a means for locking the marine vehicle with a padlock or similar device. Generally, the prior art devices are inadequate to provide suitable convenience or security in mooring a marine vehicle. Thus, there is a need for affordable, simple and versatile marine vehicle mooring devices that provide convenience and security to the docking procedure.